Method of fluid transport

ABSTRACT

A method for the transport of liquid in a textile or porous structure, whereby the liquid is forced to travel through the textile with the aid of electric pulses applied to a conductor or semi-conductor which is woven onto, or in some other fashion applied to, each side of the material which may be a single textile or several layers of textiles which together form a laminate.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is the 35 USC 371 national stage of International applicationPCT/NO98/00198 filed on Jun. 29, 1998, which designated the UnitedStates of America.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method for the transport of liquid,e.g., perspiration through one or more layers of textiles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In connection with all kinds of garments, and in particular garmentsused for sports or physical labour, the body exudes perspiration whichideally ought to be transported away from the skin in order to keep itas dry as possible. Since the majority of types of textiles, andespecially synthetic textiles, do not have the property that theyefficiently transport moisture from the skin, a person, afterperspiring, will quite soon begin to feel cold because of the moistureresiding in the fabric. This is connected with the fact that themoisture which is removed through evaporation draws much of the heat forthe evaporation from the body. One of the few fabrics which seems tohave a considerable measure of water transport capacity are woollenfabrics. This is related to the fact that there are capillaries in thewool fibres which have a high liquid transport capacity. When the liquidis drawn away from the skin, evaporation will take place with the aid ofheat from the surroundings.

Modern pieces of clothing, and in particular pieces of clothing whichare expected to be exposed to perspiration (tracksuits, parka jacketsetc.) are often composed of several layers (laminates) of textiles, bymeans of which an attempt is made to secure insulation together withoptimal liquid transport capacity. A known way of optimising this whendressing in cold conditions where perspiration is expected to occur isto have woollen underwear next to the body, which serves to transportthe moisture into the outer clothes.

A number of different methods are known which seek to solve this problemin a best possible way. One of these is by using a combination ofdifferent types of fibres which have capillary liquid transportproperties. German patent publication DE 38 31 970 describes a solutionusing an electrifiable membrane able to transport liquid according tothe principles used in dialysis apparatus.

However, there are no satisfactory solutions which have been put intotechnical or commercial use, and so the “sweat problem” described aboveis still perceived as a problem in connection with the aforementionedclothes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a solution to thisproblem which cannot only be used on clothes, but which can also beapplied to, for example, shoes, tents etc., where there is a need forthe transport of liquid through one or more layers of textiles.

The principle of the present invention is that on each side of atextile, or as a part thereof, there are woven therein or printedthereon conductors or semiconductors to which a pulsating direct currentis applied which sets the water molecules in motion. The current pulsesmay be supplied to the conductors or semi-conductors by means of abattery where the current pulses are generated in a small oscillatorycircuit built up of a capacitor which is discharged through a shortcircuit after charging. The current pulses may otherwise be generated byan oscillating generator consisting of a permanent magnet and a coil.The permanent magnet which may be suspended in a spring arrangement, isset in motion by the body's own movements, so that each time themagnetic field cuts through the coil windings, an electric voltage isinduced in the coil which gives the desired electrical pulse in thesemi-conductors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be explained in more detail below with the aid of theappended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic outline of the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows examples of woven or perforated films for attachment togarments to effect liquid transport.

FIG. 3 shows a garment having woven or perforated films according toFIG. 2 attached thereto.

FIG. 4 illustrates the principle of the oscillating generator.

FIG. 5 shows different embodiments of the generator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In FIG. 1 a) indicates a section of a piece of cloth which may consistof one or more layers. On each side thereof there is either woventherein or applied thereto a web of semi-conductor material b) and c).The materials b) and c) may be the same material or different materials.The semi-conductor materials are connected to the electric pulsetransmitter d) which in the illustrated case receives power from abattery e). The pulse transmitter d) is constructed in a conventionalmanner to transmit a series of unidirectional pulses interrupted by apulse of opposite polarity as illustrated in the window f). When thebody exudes perspiration through the skin g), the liquid, in a purelymechanical fashion and with the aid of the capillaries in the fabric,will penetrate therein so that the garment becomes moist. When thepulsating voltage is turned on, the water will be driven from the skinside in a direction away from the body. The water migration will resultin an accumulation of water towards the outside of the garment whichwill be removed in part through evaporation and in part in that dropsare formed which run away.

The actual semi-conductor material may consist of all types of knownconductors or semi-conductors, which can be produced either as threadscapable of being woven together exclusively and/or together with othertextiles and/or can be produced as perforated films capable of beingattached, for example, glued or sewn, to a garment in the areas it isdesirable to “drain”. This is illustrated in FIG. 2. Typically, suchareas are under the arms and on the back of a jacket, as shown in FIG.3.

FIG. 4 shows the principle of the oscillating generator. This consistsof a permanent magnet a) which is suspended in a spring b), so that oneend of the magnet can travel into a coil c). The entire unit is builtinside a housing d).

FIG. 5 shows three different exemplary embodiments of the generator. Thehousing d) may be made, for example, of plastic, and attached to thegarment with the aid of a fastening device. This may consist of holes toenable the generator to be sewn onto the garment, a snap fastenerdevice, a Velcro fastener device etc.

The oscillating generator can also be made of a piezoelectric materialwhich when mechanically actuated transmits an electric pulse. Suchpiezoelectric materials are obtainable as rods, rings and/or film whichon deformation transmit an electric impulse.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of transporting liquid in a poroustextile material selected from the group consisting of clothing,garments, shoes and tents, which comprises forcing the liquid to travelthrough the material by applying electric pulses to conductors orsemiconductors which are associated to each side of the material.
 2. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein the material comprises severallayers of textiles which together form a laminate.
 3. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the conductors and semiconductors arewoven onto the material.
 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein theconductors and semiconductors are printed onto the material.
 5. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein the conductors and semiconductorsare thread-shaped and adapted to be woven into a garment to be treated.6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the conductors andsemiconductors comprise a perforated film adapted to be attached to agarment to be treated.
 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein theconductors and semiconductors are connected to an electric pulsetransmitter, which comprises an oscillating electric generator adaptedto be attached to a garment worn by a person and actuated by theperson's own movements.
 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein theoscillating electric generator comprises a spring-suspended permanentmagnet, a coil and a housing.
 9. The method according to claim 7,wherein the oscillating electric generator comprises a piezoelectricmaterial, which on mechanical actuation transmits an electric pulse.